UPI Reports: A series of close calls at Memphis International Airport has reportedly sparked an internal battle within the Federal Aviation Administration.

In Thursday morning testimony, the second of two government witnesses in John Ford's trial, ex-FBI agent Joe Carroll of Atlanta, testified that the FBI, via the shadow "E-Cycle" firm, paid "bribes" to former Senator Jeff Miller of Knoxville and "tried to" make payments to former State Rep. Tre Hargett of Bartlett.
Neither has been indicted in the Tennessee Waltz case.

Former State senator Bowers was indicted by a state Grand Jury last week for reckless driving involving a car accident in August of last year....

The FBI and federal prosecutors were nothing if not thorough in making their case against John Ford. By Friday afternoon, jurors must have felt like they were watching reruns of the same episode of a police drama.

What's Coming Up? With seven payoffs down, there are still three more to come next week ...

FBI agent Brian Burns was on the witness stand most of the day Wednesday, explaining why the FBI had to spend a lot of money to wine and dine John Ford and other legislators in the style to which they were accustomed. It was a day of mixed results, with something for both sides in the Tennessee Waltz case. ...

Beale Street developer John Elkington and his company, Performa Entertainment, were the subject of a major news feature in the Birmingham (AL) News recently. Birmingham is planning to hire Elkington to develop an entertainment and retail district, so reporter Stan Diel takes a hard look at Elkington and his various projects around the country. ...

Not to mention, Freddie Mercury

It appears that MemphisFlyer.com's favorite Memphis celebrity, David Gest, has left us for the foggy climes of London. And who can blame him, really? As Jerry Lewis is to France, so Gest is to England  an unappreciated American cultural icon, minus the white socks.

n a treatise last week on predicting cultural successes, The New York Times Sunday Magazine asked the ever-relevant question: Is Justin Timberlake a Product of Cumulative Advantage?

The cornucopia of documentary evidence that has been, and will be, introduced to prove John Ford's guilt will not, by itself, guarantee a successful outcome for the prosecution. That was amply illustrated by attorney Mike Scholl's skillful handling Wednesday of the government's very first witness, FBI special agent Brian Burns.

A dedicated slacker (and budget traveler) ponders the resort life.

From the Boston Globe: Ah, Opening Day at Fenway, when the ballpark is crawling with bigshots and the outcome is an afterthought. But with temperatures barely above 40 degrees, the private boxes were the place to be Tuesday _ specifically the box belonging to Reebok, where we ran into American Pie actor Chris Klein and his girlfriend, actress Ginnifer Goodwin. ...

According to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean, Tennessee Titans quarterback and all-around good guy Vince Young has been selected to be on the cover of the most popular sports video game franchise in the world ...

Public radio personalities Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Dan Gediman will be at Davis-Kidd tonight to help celebrate the 35th anniversary of WKNO-FM radio. ...

The first South End Pocket Park is complete at the corner of Tennessee and Georgia. To celebrate, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Thursday, April 12 at 3 p.m. to officially introduce the park to its neighbors and kick off the Downtown Home Show at SouthEnd. ...

With descriptions such as "magnetic," "wrenching," and plumbing all the complexities of her role, the Nashville Tennessean gave Memphis diva Kallen Esperian a rave review for her recent performance ...

John Henson, host of TVGuide Channel's Watch This, managed to insult the entire state of Mississippi...

Prosecutors played two of their ten "payoff" videos for the jury in the John Ford trial on Thursday, showing that they intend to demolish Ford's explanation that the payments were legitimate consulting fees.

On the first payoff video, which was made in 2004 in the Memphis office of the phony E-Cycle Management ...

Speaking to the Downtown Rotary Club on Tuesday, city council chairman Tom Marshall unveiled elements of a proposal to change Memphis city goverrnment. Hint: Mr. Mayor, watch out for your turf!

Meeting in caucus last Thursday, the Democrats in the Shelby County legislative delegation selected the three party members who will serve on the county Election Commission: They are (in order of votes received): Shep Wilbun, Myra Stiles; and O.C. Pleasant.

Presidential hopeful John McCain's trip to Memphis this week, for what was billed as a "major" address on economics, generated echoes of another political warrior  Bob Dole. But is that good or bad?

Senator John McCain, who electrified much of the nation early in 2000 while running for president, made Memphis the stage on Monday for what was billed as the unveiling of his economic program as part of a second campaign for the presidency.

SI.coms Stewart Mandel has ranked the top 10 coaches in college basketball, based on the conclusion of the 2006-07 season. ...

With three games left in the season, the Grizzlies have finally locked up the leagues worst record  and thus a guaranteed top four pick in Junes NBA draft and the highest odds of landing the drafts top pick.

Jerry West suggested today in stronger terms than ever that he would
likely step down as president of basketball operations for the Memphis
Grizzlies following this summer's rookie draft. In a meeting with local
media, West indicated ...

Frank Murtaugh interviews New Orleans Zephyr manager Ken Oberkfell, who, among other things, played third
base -- right next to one Ozzie Smith -- for the 1982 world champion St. Louis Cardinals.

If youre someone who enjoys clairvoyance  or college basketball  this is the story for you. ESPN.com college hoops fortuneteller Joe Lunardi has unveiled his projected bracket for the 2008(!) NCAA mens basketball tournament, and has the University of Memphis Tigers as the top seed in the Midwest Regional. ...